A Woman for Raven, by Pat Jones

Raven's Woman by Carol Yocom climbs through a hole in his head, dances a polonaise in brown boots, wears pearls coiled through ropey hair. She mends his numb tongue with three snapped strings. Crows sit, black stops on power lines, shriek while his woman plays Suite in D. She stitches the bow back and forth like needles tick a knitted whisper just for Raven's ear. He shelters her under his wing, pulls her stays, mirrors night in his eyes. One two three. She keeps a candle at his back's bridge, holds his hands when they beat. Her stick clicks up a fence; cellos cry white sky white sky white sky.